Cardiology the focus of health service Critical Supply Register pilot

The clinical area of cardiology will be the focus of a pilot for a new Critical Supply Register, which will manage and mitigate supply chain risks on behalf of the Victorian public health sector.

The health sector is likely to continue to face supply challenges for at least the next 24 months, affecting the availability of medical consumables, devices and pharmaceuticals.

In response to this risk, HSV – working with health services, the Department of Health and Safer Care Victoria (SCV) – is developing the Critical Supply Register to help identify and mitigate supply issues for products used in key clinical disciplines.

“The pilot will focus on cardiology and the team is working with clinicians from across Victoria to identify the critical items integral to patient care in that discipline,” says HSV Director Supply Chain Surety Kate Warren.

“The team will complete risk assessments and mitigation strategies for each identified product, to support a rapid and system-wide response to disruption,” she says.

Kate says the new register will help to reduce – but cannot prevent all – supply issues.

“Our objective is to reduce the impact of a shortage when supply issues threaten the provision of patient care, by responding rapidly and in a more coordinated way.”

“The register will identify the products integral to patient care and help us find ways to mitigate and prevent stock outages,” Kate says.

“We will work across all issues and won’t be limited to products or items supplied under HSV agreements.”

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, HSV worked with clinicians, suppliers and stakeholders to respond to shortages in pharmaceuticals, medical devices and consumables including epidurals, contrast media, heart catheters, foetal monitors, sterilisation wrap, cold sterilant, syringes and nutritional feeds. This work to identify and respond to supply chain risks is ongoing.